Device for sterilizing barber&#39;s duster brush



Sept. 13, 1938. R. R. MGGRATH DEVICE FOR STERILIZING BARBER s DUSTERBRUSH Filed July 16, 1936 N v vex 040v $7471 Z ZZUZW$4 Patented Sept.13, 1938 PATENT OFFIQE DEVICE FOR STERILIZING BARBERS DUSTER BRUSHRichard R. McGrath, Jefferson, Iowa, assignor of one-halt to Wilber G.Pooley and John V.

Pooley Application July 16, 1936, Serial No. 90,916

3 Claims.

This invention relates to means to be used in connection with barbersduster brushes wherein the bristles of the brush may be thoroughlysterilized each time the brush is used, to thereby overcome one of thegreatest objections to the use of this type of brush. Insofar as I knowno means has heretofore been provided whereby barbers duster brushes maybe sterilized to prevent the spreading of skin diseases from onecustomer to the other. It is, therefore, the object of my invention toprovide a simple, durable and inexpensive device tobe'used in connectionwith a barbers duster brush wherein the bristles of the brush will beentirely enclosed when not in use, in an air-tight container, and inconnection therewith efficient means for permitting a volatilesterilization agent such as formaldehyde gas, to penetrate the containerin which the bristles are enclosed and subject the bristles to theinfluence of said gas, and in connection therewith means whereby thebrush may easily and quickly be placed in operative position.

More specifically, it is the object of my invention to provide inconnection with a barbers brush, a casing slidably mounted on the brushhandle in such a manner as to enclose the bristles at such times as thebrush is not in use, and in connection therewith a detachable receptaclefor containing the sterilization agent which may be easily and quicklyplaced in position after the bristles of the brush have been closed, andfurther in connection therewith, means whereby the receptacle will beautomatically closed before being removed from the casing so as toprevent the escape of the gas therefrom when the case is not in use.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device showing the manner inwhich it is applied to'a duster brush for sterilizing the same, theslidable casing and the container being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the container removedand the casing moved to position to uncover the bristles of the brush.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the container for holding thesterilizing agent, a portion of which is broken away to show the mannerin which the casing is closed when not in use.

Referring to the drawing I have used the reference numeral ID toindicate the handle of a duster brush having at each end a number ofspring actuated stop devices I I, the lower end of the handle IE3 beingprovided with an enlarged portion l2 on which the bristles D3 aremounted.

Slidably mounted'on the handle i0 is a casing M which is preferablyformed of tubular metal of the same diameter as the enlarged portion I2,the upper end of the casing l4 being provided with an inwardly extendingflange l5, having a number of semi-spherical recesses iii in its innersurface adapted to receive the outer ends of the stop devices ll,secured in the upper end of the handle I0, when the casing I4 is movedto its upper position of movement, as illustrated in Figure 2, to servethe purpose of frictionally holding the casing in its elevated position.

Adjacent to the lower edge of the flange I5 is a gasket ll formed offlexible material such as rubber, which serves to form an air-tightjoint between the handle and the upper end of the casing l4. Supportedadjacent to the lower side of the gasket I1 is a second flange 18, alsoprovided with a series of semi-spherical recesses l9 to receive the stopdevices II located in the lower end of the handle ID, to thereby providemeans for supporting the sleeve at its extended position of movement, asillustrated in Figure to enclose the bristles l3.

The lower end of the casing it is provided with a screw threaded portion29 adapted to receive a screw threaded portion 2! of the container 22.The upper end of the inner surface of said container is provided with avalve seat 23 adapted to coact with a valve 24 having a downwardlyextending stem 25 yieldably supported in the upright lug 26 carried bythe bottom of the container 22, a spring 27 being provided in said lugtending to move the valve to closed position. The upper surface of thevalve 24 is provided with a series of upwardly extending lugs- 28adapted to be engaged by the lower edge of the casing M as the container22 is mounted on the lower end of the member M, said lug 28 causing thevalve 24 to be moved to an open position after the casing 22 has beenmounted on the lower end of the member it. The portion of the casing 22below the valve 24 is filled with fibrous material 29, such as cotton,for receiving a volatile sterilization agent such as formaldehyde. Itwill readily be seen that the fumes from the sterilization agent mayenter the casing It and sterilize the bristles 13.

When it is desired to use the brush the casing 22 is removed by simplyrotating the same relative to the casing E4 to release the screwthreaded portions, which at the same time will permit the valve 24 tomove to closed position, thus automatically assuring that the fumes fromthe container 22 will not enter the room in which the brush is placed.The cotton pad in the bottom of the container serves to prevent thesterilization solution from engaging the bristles of the brush at anytime that the brush should be supported in any other position than thatillustrated in Figure 1. The gasket 11 serves to prevent any gases fromescaping between the member l5 and the handle l8.

Thus it will be seen I have provided a simple, durable and inexpensivedevice which may be used in connection with a barbers duster brush suchas is now in common use, whereby the cus tomer may feel assured that hewill not contract some skin disease from the use of said brush.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a brush havinga handle and a brush element secured to one end thereof, a casingslidably mounted on said handle adapted to enclose said brush elementwhen in one position of its movement, a container detachably secured tothe outer end of said casing, said container having a valve seat, avalve for said seat, yieldable means for moving said valve to a closedposition when the container is detached from said casing, means forautomatically moving said valve to an open position as the container isplaced in position on said casing, means for sealing the other end ofsaid casing to prevent escape of fluids from said container, and meansfor supporting a volatile sterilizing agent in the bottom of saidcontainer.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a dusterbrush, including a handle and a brush element, a casing slidably mountedon said handle to enclose the brush element at its outer limit ofmovement, means for yieldably latching the casing either at its upper orlower position of movement, a detachable container secured to the freeend of said casing, and means for automatically closing said containeron being removed from said casing and for automatically opening thecontainer upon being placed in position on said casing, and a volatilesterilization agent within said container.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a clusterbrush, including a handle and a brush element, a casing slidably mountedon said handle to enclose the brush element at its outer limit ofmovement, a yieldable packing element between the inner end of saidcasing and said handle, means for yieldably latching the casing eitherat its upper or lower position of movement, a detachable containersecured to the free end of said casing, and means for automaticallyclosing said container on being removed from said casing and forautomatically opening the container upon being placed in position onsaid casing, and a volatile sterilization agent within said container.

RICHARD R. McGRATH.

